Tuesday, April 17, 2007

VegasRy Review: Planet Hollywood

In case you hadn’t already heard, the Aladdin was recently taken over by the Planet Hollywood group and as of a couple weeks ago, it now bears that name. Alongside the name change, PH (as it is commonly referred to now) also gave the hotel and casino a complete makeover.

Before I get to the changes and our overall impressions, let me first share some thoughts on what was the Aladdin (to us anyways). We’ve never been fans of the Aladdin due mostly to its underage theme and resulting tackiness. This disdain has led us to rarely even step foot inside. (outside of the few trips to the Ben Sherman store in the adjoining shopping area) Whenever I try and describe what it was like though, I’m reminded of the abundance of fake jewels that littered the casino floor. Las Vegas is an adult’s playground and consequently, adults should be the target audience. In no way did it seem that adults were catered to. The Aladdin was by far my least favorite of Las Vegas' newer casinos so needless to say, the PH changes were more than welcomed.


When I first learned that this construction was in the works, I was excited mostly because, as mentioned, the existing structure was of zero value to us. I figured any change would have to be for the better. Then I saw several artist renderings of the structure and got really worried that it was going to have a celebrity memorabilia theme. (one is pictured to the right) Instead, the new look of PH on the outside is mostly the same. Gone though is the blue paint that the Aladdin recently applied and a sign has been erected on the building itself.



On the other hand, the casino has no semblance to its tacky past. PH has replaced any hint of tackiness with a swanky style that resembles Mandalay Bay’s theHotel. The casino floor is now full of lots of colorful florescent lighting encased by an abundance of dark brown wood. It really is an entirely new place and we were pleasantly surprised to say the least. The upstairs areas were still under construction when we were there in March so I’ll update you on that after we get back from our trip in July. From what I could tell though, the area was almost exclusively for the sports book, a poker area, and slots. I was severely disappointed at the “Race & Sportsbook”'s lighted sign that overlooked the book. It looked like it belonged in a food court.


PH, similar to so many casinos of late, has taken the “no theme” approach. We really aren’t fans of this trend, yet I must applaud them for their efforts. I’m not ready to jump ship and call it home, but I don’t feel so allergic to it any longer.




3 cheques (out of 5)

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